25.4.08

When I was an adolescent I skateboarded, rode bikes, and sang in a band. I had a few girlfriends, anxiety, and was slowly developing a work ethic through various after school and summer jobs. My first job was at the Polk County Democrat, the town newspaper with its 100 year old three color printing press that required that section B be inserted into section A by hand , stacks of fifty at a time. I could insert 50 sections in less than a minute, fingers black from the moist ink. Then I worked at a grocery store for a few months. That was easily one of the worst jobs I ever had. I also worked for lawn service companies as summer jobs for years. But I digress.

Imagine if your fist job was to walk around the desert holding a Kalashnikov. Your job is to fight against other youth your age for God knows what reason because you’re not seeing any progress. In all likelihood you will kill women and children. You will torture people and if you get caught by your enemies you will likely be tortured and then killed. There will probably be good times but most of the time will be tense. If you manage to at some point “retire” from this work you will probably suffer years, if not for the rest of your life, from post traumatic stress disorder. You will have a difficult time forming and maintaining meaningful personal relationships. And in all likelihood you will use violence to resolve simple disputes. Through it all you’ll be hungry, you won’t have access to decent medical care, dental care will be out of the question, and accessible potable water will not exist. And if and when you get a chance to watch TV, it will probably be reruns of Baywatch –Pamela Anderson and Hasselhoff teasing you with what your life could be like in America.

The latest report from the UN released this week claims that at least 300,000 have died in the conflict in Darfur. A conflict that's been ignored by the world at large even though it was officially declared a genocide. And now with rising foods prices across the globe things are sure to get worse.

If you don't have a bicycle to get around I suggest you get one. You'll need self reliance as well as cheap transportation if things continue in their downward slope. And if things get better then at least you'll have improved health from pushing pedals.